Breton Tom Laperche wins the Route du Rhum and breaks the record.

At 29 years old, Tom Laperche won the Route du Rhum in the Ultim category in his first participation. The skipper of SVR-Lazartigue crossed the finish line in Pointe-à-Pitre on Saturday, November 7 in the evening, Guadeloupe time. With a time of 6 days, 13 hours, 27 minutes, and 40 seconds, he improved the record set by Charles Caudrelier in 2022 by more than six hours.

Born on June 24, 1997, in Loudéac, Tom Laperche grew up in La Trinité-sur-Mer, where large multihulls early on fueled his dreams. Introduced to sailing at the age of five, he is the son of Philippe Laperche, a dentist and sailor who participated four times in the Solitaire du Figaro, and the grandson of sailor Loïc Sparfel.

Graduating in mechanical engineering from the University of Technology of Compiègne, he completed an internship in 2019 with François Gabart (winner of the 2014 Route du Rhum) during the design of the trimaran SVR-Lazartigue. Seven years later, it is at the helm of this same boat that he inscribes his name in the record books of the transatlantic race between Saint-Malo and Guadeloupe. The trimaran carries the colors of the cosmetic brands SVR and Lazartigue, from the Kresk group, whose name means "growth" in Breton.